Sanctuary
by micalikeshp
Summary: They were each other's sanctuary. James Potter and Lily Evans, at the beginning of their 6th year, have formed an unsteady friendship. It was an almost-perfect summer, but with everything from the impending N.E.W.T's to a possible Wizarding War approaching, can two people who are so different find sanctuary in each other? And realise perhaps they aren't so different after all?
1. Prolouge: What To Do

_**Sanctuary**_

_**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any characters and/or locations or canon plotlines. They all belong to JK Rowling. There will also be some characters that are the creation of Jewels5, from her story 'The Life and Times'. These invented characters do not belong to me ethier. **_

My first attempt at a story. Don't know how long it will be, but it'll be multi-chapter, that's for sure. It also won't be very good. Again, I'm just starting out. If anyone wants to beta, please let me know! I'll be willing to beta any of your stories as well.

It's about James and Lily. So it's gonna be heartbreaking. Enjoy! :)

* * *

_THE ORDER_

Chapter One: What To Do

They were each other's sanctuary. For James, when the firewhisky in the liquor cabinet didn't cut it to calm his jittery nerves, Lily would know what to do. Make a cup of tea. Lock the doors twice. Three times. Keep the suitcase by the door, just in case. Hold him tight. Stay up with him all night if needed, giving him a kiss for each star in the sky.

For Lily, when she came across a picture of Petunia, when Snape came up in conversation, when the word Mudblood was tossed at her like rotten fruit, James would know what to do. Put on a record by the Smiths. Stroke her hair. Open the curtains and the windows and the shutters and let her breathe in the fresh air. Hold her around the waist, tight, until the tears stopped. Kiss her just behind her left ear.

These traditions came to be known to them one by one, arriving like letters in the post, just another thing to do to make the bad things go away. They were married; of course it was normal that they knew each other well.

But it hadn't started with marriage. It hadn't started with them dating. It hadn't even started on that night... The night the two of them decided they were very very much in love. It started back in the old hallowed halls before either of them knew what love was, and indeed what heartbreak was. James didn't like tea. Lily didn't like firewhisky. Some old habits die hard, but these didn't.

This is how it began.


	2. Chapter 1: Lemon Juice

_**Sanctuary**_

_**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any characters and/or locations or canon plotlines. They all belong to JK Rowling. There will also be some characters that are the creation of Jewels5, from her story 'The Life and Times'. These invented characters do not belong to me ethier.**_

Thank you to you guys who reviewed! I was so happy, I'm glad you liked it. Thank you .fire and spff... I know I kind of left you hanging with the prolouge but here you go! Very jetlagged and about to sleep, but wanted to put something up for you! My third day of sophmore year tomorrow... yay! Adam McKinnon makes an appearance, and we get introduced to all the Gryffindors... yay! Had a lot of fun writing this. Please review, constructive criticism is welcomed!

Enjoy! :) - Mica

* * *

_HOGWARTS_

Chapter One: Lemon Juice

Lily was a romantic at heart. She liked to believe that nobody saw past the 'in control' exterior she attempted to build. She was great when she was in control, sure. Her partner in any class was lucky to have her, the teachers adored her, and she could silence a room with a single look. She always had a professional exterior, an aura of control of herself and those around her, the possession of the power to walk into the room and have it go quiet. She was a born leader.

But catching Lily when she was being a little softer? The charcoal sketch version of the usual Technicolor cartoon Lily? That was a real treat.

It would be on the most random of days. She would smile sweetly at the close-to-useless Hufflepuff she got paired up with in Herbology, she'd point a lost first-year in the right direction, she'd bring a copy of some dog-eared poetry book to every class, and it would sit at the corner of her desk until Sirius Black or James Potter picked it up and flicked through it (it was usually the latter that did so, but that's only because he'd want to find an excuse to talk to her).

And long warm afternoons where she could bask all day in the sun in the garden, that's what Lily loved almost as much as her time in Hogwarts. That's how she spent most of the summer, with a great big floppy hat in to prevent her face freckling. She'd read 15 books that summer, beating her record from third year. Most of them were Muggle classics, her guilty pleasure. She found herself waltzing around her room one night after dinner, clutching her paperback copy of Pride and Prejudice, hoping her own Mr. Darcy would sweep into the room and whirl her around in a steady waltz.

She was glad to have these drowsy days that summer; lost in someone else's world, as her own was accelerating at lightning speed. Although Petunia and her insufferable fiancée were staying in the Evans' home, same as Lily, Petunia did her best to avoid her. This entitled many family outings (not including Lily, of course, in case she accidentally forgot Vernon was there, and performed some magic), so Lily had the days to herself. However, as August drew to a close and the heady hot days melted into cool nights, her mother would stay home with her, baking pies and braiding her long ginger hair and listening to her rant about Sev. Admittedly, she'd tried pretending to herself that the whole awful incident hadn't happened, but it was therapeutic in a way to just cry out of frustration on her mum's shoulder.

So now, as she stood on Platform 9 and ¾, her face just a little bit tanned from the rays that had poked through her hat, her trunk full of books and clothes and hopes for the coming year, she stepped onto the train and-

Right into James Potter.

Her mood was immediately ruined.

"Whoa. Hello there, Evans. Good summer?" James' body stretched out like a cat's. His arm immediately was propped against the frame of the door into the carriage, his torso lengthened, his legs crossed. He smiles at her, still waiting for a response, and she sighs.

She runs a hand through her hair.

And then she stops.

Because she's done it. And she can't take it back. She's done his signature move- the hand through shaggy hair trick. And he knows it as well.

"Fine. Some drama with Petunia, lots of reading, and a little sun." She answers, trying to keep her voice steady. James has changed his position again, his shoulders hunched so he is almost at her height, hands stuffed in pockets.

"Or a lot of sun." He reaches out and pokes her nose fondly. Lily wonders if there's a sunburn she hadn't noticed there.

There's an awkward pause as she agonizes over what to say next. Fortunately, she doesn't have to say anything, because at that moment, three Marauders, two extremely brown Gryffindor girls, and one brown-haired Gryffindor boy squeeze themselves into the carriage, nearly knocking over James and Lily in the process. They shuffle to accommodate the new arrivals, and Lily realizes just how awkward and clunky her case is. She sets it down.

"For Merlin's sake, don't stand and chat right by the door, you can catch up on your summers elsewhere-" A decidedly handsome boy with pearl grey eyes and long brown hair complains, but stops short when he realizes who he's talking to.

"Prongsy! There you are, we were looking for you." Sirius Black says, pulling up a tall, lanky, sandy-brown haired boy and short chubby blonde boy beside him. The tall boy waves to Lily, and she can't wait to catch up with him- Remus Lupin is the most normal out of all the Marauders in Lily's opinion, and being a Prefect with him made her realize how much they had in common.

They'll catch up at the Prefect meeting, she decides.

Right now, she worries herself with the two girls. They both rush forward to embrace her, both smelling very strongly of lavender.

"Lily Lily Lily, my darling Lily. How was you summer?" The blonde one asks, as soon as they pull apart. She's wearing round-rimmed sunglasses, her hair is shorter and lighter, and she looks absolutely fantastic. No wonder the brown-haired Gryffindor boy next to her can hardly look away.

"Fine, fine, lovely. I'll tell you all about my exciting escapades with my book collection later. But you! Your hair! Did you dye it?" Lily says, reaching out her hand.

Marlene Price reaches up as well. She ruffles it. "Going for a different look. Picked it up in Spain… no more smooth and sleek, I need texture. And lemon juice in your hair, plus the sun, makes it lighter. And I also-"

"Blah blah blah, Marlene, let me speak to her, for Agrippa's sake! Go find a compartment with Adam." Mary Macdonald interrupts.

Marlene laughs, pushes her sunglass off her face and into her hair, and gestures for the boy to follow her. "Come on then, McKinnon." She says. "Right behind you, Price." He replies, and the two of them push past the Marauders and down the train compartment.

"Merlin, he's so in love." Lily comments.

"Yeah, but Mar is totally oblivious. She got with this really fit Muggle in Valencia, though he barley spoke English. That trip was a real eye-opener for her… she chopped off her hair, she kissed boys she'd just met, she had _fun_. It's what she needed." Mary replies.

Lily nods, pressing her lips together. The year before, Marlene had gone through a very nasty breakup, and all of her friends were wondering when she was going to be happy again.

Mary hadn't changed a bit over summer, which was comfort to Lily, as she hoped she hadn't been the only one who'd tried a drastic change.

"Come on then, Mac, let's find the compartment before Adam starts snogging Marlene." Lily throws her arm over Mary's shoulders.

"What about Doe? And Alice and Frank?" Mary asks, her brunette ponytail bobbing.

"We saw Doe arriving. I'm sure she'll be here soon." Remus cuts in, his catching up with the other Marauders finished. "And Alice and Frank are one cabin down, they'll be joining us later. You coming to the Prefect cabin, Lily?" He asks. His hair has grown out, and it curling at the ends.

"I'll be there in a tic, just want to change and catch up a bit." Lily answers, picking up her case again.

"See you in a bit then." And he's disappeared the other way, towards the cabin which holds all the Prefects.

Lily glances at James. He holds her gaze for a moment, but she breaks it, and, deciding not to wait for the three remaining 6th year Gryffindor boys, and tugs Mary's hand in the direction whence Marlene and Adam went.

"So, what was this Spanish boy's name?" She begins.

* * *

Yay! First official chapter. Just another reminder to REVIEW! The next chapter will definitely be longer. Also, if you have a tumblr, follow my JILY blog, .com, or my normal/humor blog, .com!

much love

xx mica


End file.
